I have just finished reading The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian. To me, a completely unknown book, by a completely unknown author. To my surprise, it was completely awesome.
I have to admit, I could see myself as the author. If I would write a novel, it would probably be a lot like this one. I could also see myself as Josh, the seventeen year old boy that created this hugely popular website about consumerism and waste. I was just as shy and felt the world as a really awkward place when I was seventeen.
The website is run by Larry, Josh’s Internet alter-ego. Nobody knows the identity of Larry, but soon, the “whole world” is chasing him… almost true paparazzi style.
At first, I thought this book would be all about fun and entertainment. How Josh could hide behind Larry, and how the world would go nuts over his cool website (even Bono did go nuts), and how Josh finally got Beth, the girl he had been in love with for years. But the book was a lot different, it had some moral dimensions.
Josh set out to make the world a better place, but ended up being trapped instead. Larry started out as a cool alter-ego, but ended up as a character that everyone was trying to figure out the identity of. For a second, I almost wrote the ending… but I won’t.
I urge you to read The Gospel According To Larry, it was different, and a whole lot more entertaining and inspiring than most of the books I’ve read.